I ordered a MET helmet this week, but when the invoice came through it lacked any mention of UK VAT. I cancelled the order quickly, but followed up directly over their online messenger if the prices included UK VAT and they confirmed it did. They don’t help themselves not making this clear on the site or on the invoices, but i guess it’s not their problem if the postie or courier hold back delivery post sale.

I’ve just bought some Artica R5s. First ever winter boots or indeed shoe from Fizik.

I’m a 43 in most normal shoes, 44 for cycling shoes (S-works). I tried on 44 and 45 Articas and the 44 was comfortably a bit larger to accommodate a thicker sock. I think a thicker sock is needed after two rides to test them out and they are a touch loose, even fully cranked with the ‘laces’.

Seem very good though. So far, waterproof after 2hrs of road spray and using a hose to clean them after. Like the snowboard boot style inner laces and the stiffness is very good – comparible to my very stiff S-works summer shoes.

Got a good discount in store and a set of Keo cleats thrown in too. Thanks Surrey Hills Cycleworks 🙂

A more general suggestion for the wider topic is to try using an MTB caliper. I’ve been using a old 2 pot XT on the front of my roadie for over 6 months and it’s been so much better – not only in terms of no leaks or contamination of pad, but it doesn’t chirp or rub the disc and feels much smoother.

I’ve got a Hope RX4 ready to fit and some new Galfer rotors, but am scare it might be a backwards step!

My Sonder Transmitter

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QXzKG1L3PEBx3wT48

Pear Izumi Versa Hoody?

I’ve got a black one and it’s been my daily jacket on and off the bike, commuting and MTB. quilting front and rear, with showerproof arms. I’ve had it absolutely filthy, but just a cold machine wash away from perfect again. Keep quite a lot of rain out and dries very quick. Love it

https://www.bikemag.com/2020-bible-of-bike-tests/bible-tester-favorites-jackets/

I do a similar commute and prefer using my cheap Altura Sonic 15 panier to my previous 20l Alpkit dry rucksack. I think it was £30 with some codes from Evans.

For 47mm tyres I’ve recently fitted aluminium SKS Edge mudguards and they are brilliant. Great coverage, sturdy and silent. I’ve had to ‘engineer’ some custom mounts and spacers to perfect the position, but they are by far the best guards I’ve used. Would be wary of flimsy plastic guards on anything used daily.

I recently tried to organise some riding kit and accessories into a central place near the door (so shoes, lids, gloves, lights, backpacks, bumbags, trail tools etc) in the under-stair’s cupboard. I get dressed upstairs, so cycle clothing can stay in drawers/wardrobe and all the specialist bit (that get stored dirty) stay in the cupboard.

I bought two wire baskets from FIL Storage (about £50 all in) which I’ve mounted to the wall leaving space for shoes below. Helps me sort Road + MTB kit and helps me keep track of essential bits that I want for each ride.

MT8 Wire Storage Basket (single)

They don’t make any secret of it on their website! Take a look. You can trade in a balance bike and get 15% off your Kenevo 🙂

Freeborn, Horsham. Cube and Spesh dealer and they offer 15% off every bike, based on a cunning trade in policy that allows then to be cute with Specialized’s rather aggressive price protection. Great guys too

I’ve just bought two pairs of trouser after 25 years of only wearing baggies or 3/4s for trails and commuting.

A pair of Madison Zenith 4 seasons (£80) – which feel a bit like work trousers by Dewalt or something – but are tough, adjustable, comfy and i won’t mind getting absolutely filthy; and a pair of smarter Pearl Izzumi Versas (reduced to £60) from Biketart. The Versa are much slimmer and are idea for a less muddy commutes and for not looking too spoddy if I wear them at work at day.

Both are nicely wind proof, have plenty of vents and seems water repellent, rather than waterproof, but are good tools for the respective jobs.

I’m 5’11” and 33/34 waist, so a looser large for the Zeniths and snugger 34″ for the Versas.

https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/madison_zenith_4season_dwr_trouser_2019-ID_78777

https://www.biketart.com/cycling-clothing-mtb-road-biketart/shorts-trousers-cycling-clothing-biketart/pearl-izumi-mens-versa-trousers-shadow-grey

Just built this Tarmac V2 frame up last month, having previous thrashed around on a ’16 T130. It’s a fairly lightweight build (Hope, Mavic XA Pros, 11sp XTR) at a touch over 27lbs – and that’s with a 150mm Lyrik and large brakes!

My brief to myself was a winter HT that was nicely spec’d, so that it felt premium, but which i wouldn’t hesitate to ride no matter how grim the weather or trail conditions. I’m not running wide + tyres, but the Mary and Quest combo come in at about 2.5 on these 25mm rims.

Only a couple of rides in, but i’m enjoying it and like how it contrasts with my T130 (ie. 3 lbs lighter, more direct power transfer, more forward modern geo) but the harsh back end will take a bit more getting used too.

Looking forward to riding some more flowy pump trails to take advantage of the directness and agility. Should be a good winter!

@peekay

A pump track is a great idea for the town and I’d be happy to help where i can on the planning side. I’m a Dorkinite and perhaps of more relevance, currently a planning consultant and ex-planning officer too. In a former role at Ealing Council I worked on a exciting Council project to build a really great BMX track and skate park at their Gurnell Leisure centre near Greenford.

To kick thinks off, you need to in touch with the Councillors. I imagine that all of Meadowbank Park is owned by Mole Valley Council, so you’d need to get them on board in the first instance. I believe the Councillor responsible for leisure projects is David Draper, who is also the deputy leader of the whole Council – so has some influence.

Funding wise, the BMX tack project was a JV with the Nation Lottery Fund, so that might be another approach on the money side.

Feel free to DM me to chat more on this.

Phillip

I’m very keen, but every shop I ask tell me it’s January 6th onwards for delivery…

Got the be an Evil Calling. Having test ridden back to back with a CC 5010, the Evil was a much more accomplished, not to mention entertaining, ride. About the same price [frame only] if you hunt about

BikeMag [US] did a little review of the V3 alloy which also mused on upgrading to a coil shock – in that case a Marzocchi Bomber CR. Sounded fun.

Review

Bose QC35 IIs are only £223 on Spanish Amazon (weird I know!). Can be bought via your UK amazon account.

Brexit flutters yesterday made them a few quid cheaper yesterday 🙂

https://www.amazon.es/Bose-QuietComfort-35-Auriculares-inal%C3%A1mbricos/dp/B0756CYWWD?th=1

My little sis has just ridden her bog-stock Bizango from Banff to Albuquerque  on the Great Divide trail. I think she got it for < £500 with BC discount in a spring sale. So much bike for the money and it’s really thoughfully designed and specified to get the most out of modern geo, short stem/wide bar and fast rolling Maxxis tyres.

Get it bought!

Oh and the shim for adjusting travel is extra!

STW 10% off at Ubyk too. That where I got mine

The OneUp dropper has a very short stack and a reasonable insertion length. The upshot being I can get a 150mm drop on my T130 where the original Reverb could only drop 125mm.

Also with the shim avavilable you can tweak the travel to to custom fit your bike and max saddle height – such a great idea!

There a whole thread on them, with quite a few now on STWer’s bikes

I’ve ridden a few times with my new Singletrack II lid and I’m quite impressed. It was £45 from CRC after usual discounts.

Previously had a IXS trail, which was comfy but smelt pretty bad after 2 years of heavy use (hard to clean the straps) and felt a bit heavy on the head in hindsight.

I like how light and airy the Endura feels and come winter i tend to wear a buff on my head so the large vents shouldn’t be too drafty. Also like the large peak and the petrol colour option is quite subtle yet different.

Can’t comment on MIPs alterntives close to the budget, but aren’t Lazer making a very cheap version of their STW reviewed Roller?

Ubyk account now says order disptched having ordered last Saturday. Excited!

Morvelo. So comfy!

Attractive as the Hunt package is on price, they’ve only been availble this summer haven’t they? I’d want to wait a bit longer for some cross-seasonal feedback from users. Saying that, the price almost had be taking the plunge, but my local shop (who used to be a Hunt stockist) advised against it citing a lot of grief with the hubs and lots of unhappy customers.

Have you looked at JRA Traildog builds? Not Hope builds, but competatively priced and handbuilt to your spec and decal colours.

For customs builds, Strada wheels on the south coast are worth a look too. Hope/DT hubs builds on Stans and DT rims for about £500.

Another to consider are Mavic XAs as they are often heavily discounted, and while reviews are scarse, they are light and ride very nicely.

STMUYK05 worked for me last week when I ordered my dropper. Fingers crossed my post ships next week as my saggy reverb is sucking to fun out of my rides 🙁

It’s probably a worn chainring. Sounds similar to a mystery noise I had when i put the same KMC chain only my XT 11-42 set up.

Get someone to watch you side on as you pedal and check if the chain is sticking, as it comes off the 6 o’clock positon, to the teeth closer to the rear tyre (if that makes sense).

Really getting through narrow wide chainrings quickly these days – about 3 a year with my weekend warrier riding!

 This is the little fella. Nicely made and easy to adjust

@ afanmark – I’ve had to fit a One-up chain device that sits behind the bearing cup (like an old school Stinger et al).

An alternative approach might be one of the new knobbled chainstay protectors on the 2019 Stumpjumper. The guys at my LBS – who have just taken in a load of 2019 Stumjumpers – claim that Specialized were reserching why on sustained rough trails the chain can whip or resonate to such an extent that it can overcome the clutch tension and then come off the chainring. Their thinking behind the knobbled protector is that it will dampen the whipping chain at different frequencies and thus prevent a derailment. The Stumpy also has an ISG mount, but the rubber protector is a mch more elegant solution if it actually works.

Interesting theory and it correlates with my experience of the specific times when my T130 threw a chain before I stuck on the One-Up.

Hope that helps

I was thinking of using a X-Fusion McQueen on a Chameleon build. Highy adjustable and well spec’d for the money.

Seem to workwell enough for Oli Wilkins..

£360 @ Freeborn at the moment

https://www.freeborn.co.uk/x-fusion-mcqueen-27-5-boost

I agree on the XTR benefit on 9/10sp. Inherited some great S/H bikes with it fitted.

On 11sp the XTs levers are a nice textured metal, which makes it feel pretty snappy and ‘premium’ already. Thought some fancier internal material might up the ante.

The £40 might be better spent on beer

One-up BB mount?

I fitted this to my T130 which also has Raceface BB and Turbine cranks.

Makes all the difference, as I too was regularly loosing my chain on the rocky stuff. Works with Oval rings too. Neat, light and looks funky 🙂

Linky

I asked Whyte this question directly and was told a boost chainring is required.

I’ve now worn out a One-up ring and am about to fit an Absolute Black version for comparison

With a un-dished, non-boost ring i think you’d find the chainline would be quite stretched on the smaller sprockets of the cassette.

Hope that helps, Pete

I think it’s a bike for all abilities – so don’t be put off thinking it has to thrashed on the limit to be appreciated or even to ‘work’ properly. After all its really just a well considered trail bike with a great spec and geometry that conducive to hooning about on!

I spent last year getting fully back into mountain biking and the T130 helped me/kept me interest to not only get back to decent level of trail fitness, but also has me tackling bigger and bigger jumps, drops – hell, even a DH race!

Here’s me well within the bike’s comfort zone on the Northern Monkey Jump line…

[/url]NM by phillip taylor[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Great bikes and interesting to see how the 2018 lineup has evolved with so many variations to the models. I don’t think I’d bother with an RS in current spec, as the CRS or more basic S look much more appealing and better value.

In terms of tweaks, I’ve tried to balance lopping a few pounds off and making it a bit more capable on trickier terrain. She’s just below 30lbs in present trim.

– 140mm airshaft + 2 tokens
– Chromag Carbon bars
– Absolute Black 32T oval chainring
– Specialized roadie saddle
– Oneup chainguide
– Nukeproof organic pads
– Tubeless with Stans kit
– Magic Mary/Rock Razor or reluctantly a Hans D in the winter
– Ergon GE1 grips
– Suspension set up with a Shockwiz (Shock needs a service + a band or 2)
– De-stickered Roam wheels!

Such a great bike for my local riding in the Surrey Hills. Bring on the Welsh trail centres this autumn

Given the OP says he rides his T130 pretty aggressively, perhaps more emphasis should be placed on managing the last 15% of the travel rather than the first 15%.

I weigh about the same as the OP and like to ride my RS, as he intimates, like an Enduro bike. I’ve tried a number of combinations of settings, but for jumpy rides that take in a reasonably amount of DH-style trails, inc. 5-6ft drops, I’ve settled on a 140mm airshaft, x2 tokens and 75psi. That translates into 27% sag.

With my Monarch Deb, 185 psi and 6 clicks of rebound from fully wound out (=27% sag). Shockwiz suggested a single band, which I’ll do in a few week come the service.

Since adopting the above, heavy impacts have felt much more controlled, yet crucially, when trail riding the essential pop and agility of the bike hasn’t been lost. Feel like such a capable bike in this guise and I’ll be racing it on Sunday at Rogate!

I borrowed a Shockwiz a few weeks bag and I’m loving the tweeks it suggested to my suspension. Had one of my best rides of the year on Saturday as the bike was sooo much fun begin thrashed about on some of the newer agresive trail off Pitch Hill.

I wrote about my experience on Pinkbike – here:

https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=193141

Sounds like you need a lot more air rather than taking it out!

Are you sure you cycled the Shockwiz correctly when setting it up as something smells fishing from your app results…

page 31 onwards set out what your neighbour can do using their PD rights. Dormers are class B PD while rooflights are class C.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20151113141044/http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/100806_pdforhouseholders_technicalguidance.pdf

There probably very little you can do, unless these PD rights have been explicitly removed (e.g. on the original permission for the house) or you’re in a Conservation Area, National Park, AONB etc.

You could ask your neighbor to partially obscure the lower panes. Most people don’t want to overlook neighbours, but it is the perception of being overlooked that is uncomfortable.

Good luck!

Had it done to our Exeo 2.0tdi 140 in September. Can’t say I’ve noticed any tangible difference in performance, but I’m sure the MPG for town driving has gotten marginally worse. The overall range seems to average out with some long motorway stints – perhaps a fall from 700 to 650 from a tank.

I’m not too bothered as I’ve be making use of RevoTechnik’s 25% off Black Friday offer for a Stage One ECU flash.

I do miss my simple steel Fuji Track, but my Langster SF, which i bought as a frameset and built for winter training in the Surrey Hills, is a much more pleasant ride. The Planet X wheels aren’t that light, but the stiff cranks and proper cockpit (i.e. road bars and Campy hoods) make it a great alternative road bike.

[/url]

Did the geometry change from the 2015 to 2016/2017 models? I’m sure medium bikes came with a 50mm stem.

Being spec’d with a 70mm stem implies to me that the reach is shorter on the older bikes. Would a large with a 50mm stem (or shorter) not be more ‘Enduro’ 🙂